


Secrets

by LPB2015



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-20
Updated: 2016-04-23
Packaged: 2018-05-27 23:22:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6304240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LPB2015/pseuds/LPB2015
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Elsa's arrival in Storybrooke might cause more problems than the expected. Each of our beloved characters will deal with drastic changes in their lives, specially Regina and Robin Hood, who are struggling with Marian's return. In addition, Storybrooke's newest visitor will surprise you for sharing a backstory with some of our main characters while they try to stay united against the threat Elsa represents. Will they be strong enough to move past old mistakes, or will the truth turn out to be too much to handle? Either way, it won't be easy. After all, the winter is as unpredictable as the responsible for the coldest days of their lives.</p><p># This is a version of what season 4 could have been. The plot is totally different, apart form the first couple of chapters. Hope you guys enjoy!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Betrayed

In the minute Emma told her she had brought back someone from the past, Regina got tense. She knew well enough that this kind of travels were dangerous and just a simple action could change everything.

Fate, destiny; for that she was unsure.

Regardless her disapproval, Regina bitted her tongue and patiently waited for the blond to explain herself.

"It's complicated. We went back in time, she's from Enchanted Forest. We found her in your dungeons. I told her you changed, but she still thinks of you like..." Emma whispered as struggled to finish her sentence.

"Evil." Regina completed with a tight smile.

The blond woman nodded and the mayor stepped forward.

"I understand. Where is she?" Regina asked, frowning curiously.

Emma smiled and turned around, waving her hand.

Regina later realized that the younger woman, the one who was rescued from her dungeons, was waiting for Emma's signal at the other side of Granny's.

As the lady walked carefully towards Regina, the mayor stepped closer and glanced at her with the warmest smile she could.

" _Marian?_ " Robin exclaimed with a shaky voice from the table he was sitting on.

Regina snapped her head and looked at him with the most surprised expression ever.

"I thought I would never see you again!" The outlaw added as hugged the other woman.

The mayor took severals steps back as the wheels in her hear began to function, putting the pieces together.

No. This couldn't be happening.

"Mama?" She heard Roland's voice question.

"Oh, my boy! My beautiful boy, I missed you so much!" Marian exclaimed while picked her son up for a tight hug.

Regina managed to see Robin's small smile and soft kiss on the top of his wife's head.

The mayor blinked more times than she could count.

Minutes before this whole mess, she was walking down the street with Roland and Robin. After so long, she was finally happy with her life. She had found love again.

Well, she did. Now it was ruined.

Regina stayed silent and let the old feeling of anger fill her veins. Surprisingly, the anger she felt was nothing compared to how much betrayed she was feeling.

She tilted her head to stare at Emma as her eyes filled with unleashed tears.

She wouldn't break in front of them.

"You did this." Regina whispered, her voice throatier than she had expected.

"Regina, I didn't know. I swear!" Emma rushed to say. The mayor ignored the guilt in the blond's eyes.

She was tired of being gentle.

"You're just like your mother. Never thinking of consequences!" Regina exclaimed, her tone getting sharper and angrier after every word. She took two steps forward, until she was able to look Emma face to face.

"Let's just hope you didn't bring anything _else_ back." She whispered threateningly before turning around to leave the dinner.

Emma tried to say something, but the words kept stuck in her mouth.

Yes, Hook had explained her the risks of bringing someone back, but how could she know it would be Robin's dead wife?

Besides, she wouldn't apologize for saving a life.

Although, the guilt was destroying her.

She and Regina had passed trough a lot and even if the mayor denied it, they were friends. Well, sort of.

Apparently, Emma and Regina's discussion passed unnoticed by everyone. They were too overwhelmed by Marian's return.

Or at least it was what Emma thought.

The blond woman jumped when felt a pressure on her arms and instantly turned around.

"Hey! It's me." Mary Margaret said, frowning in worry. "What happened between you and Regina? I was coming out of the bathroom and heard you two arguing." The brunette added, quickly glancing at the fuss in Granny's.

"Mom, I screwed everything up." Emma commented, suddenly feeling terrified.

"What happened?" Mary Margaret questioned carefully.

"The woman I brought back from Enchanted Forest is Marian, Robin's dead wife." As Emma explained, she could see her mother's eyes widening in realization.

"Let me guess, Regina is furious." Mary Margaret whispered and the blond woman nodded in response.

"That's not good, Emma. She'll blame you for everything, you have to be careful." The brunette added and shook her head in denial. "She was so happy! I can't believe this is actually happening, our family was getting along so well." Mary Margaret commented, exasperated.

"I know, but things doesn't have to change. There's no way to know what will happen, maybe Robin will still be with Regina." Emma suggested hopefully.

Mary Margaret nodded. "You're right." She whispered, giving her daughter a small smile in return.

                        --  |¥|  --

Her footsteps were the only thing she could hear. The street was silent since practically everybody was still at Granny's and a uncommon cold invaded the area.

Regina wasn't caring about the weather right now, but she still felt uneasy with the cold blast of wind hitting her since they were in the middle of spring.

Her thoughts left the weather as quickly as they reached it. She felt stupid. Stupid enough to think she could run away from her past, a past that apparently blowed up in her face in a stupid woman's form.

As if it wasn't bad enough already, she realized that if Emma hadn't interfered in the past, she would have killed Robin's wife.

She would have been responsible for Roland growing up motherless.

As Regina felt the tears streaming down her face, she stopped walking and rested her back onto some old building.

The mayor took deep breaths and tried to calm herself down, she needed to get home.

Of course, Regina could always poof herself out of there, but she wanted to walk and clear her head.

She managed to do so for quite some time, but at some point, the emptiness of her house was so intense that she couldn't bare staying there.

Regina felt like dying because, once again, someone had hurt her in the cruelest ways possible.

Wanting or not, Emma made the mayor pass trough quite some pain. A pain that for long was replaced by anger and the bloody path of seeking revenge. Once again, Regina stayed alone and broken hearted. After all, Robin was her soulmate and she thought they could actually have a second chance.

                          --  |¥|  --

In the next day, Emma woke up with a grown. She felt like she hadn't slept at all. In fact, this wasn't far from truth since she spent most of the night up wondering what she could do to fix the mess she created.

Emma heard that Robin took Marian with him to the Merry Men's camp and she wasn't surprised by his actions. She knew he was an honorable men and would never leave his wife alone in a word she knew nothing about.

Eventually, Emma stood up and went to take a shower, getting ready for another day as Storybrooke's sheriff.

The blond woman quickly spoke with her parents and left the house, headed to the Sheriff Station.

She smiled when, minutes after her arrival, Hook showed up with a coffee on hand.

"Good morning, love." He whispered before kissing her.

Emma hummed in response and smiled as the pirate handed her the hot drink.

A cold wind invaded the room and Emma shivered, turning her head towards the open window.

"When did it get so cold in Storybrooke? Aren't we in the middle of spring?" She questioned, feeling Killian caressing her arm.

"I don't know, the weather is a little bit strange. I noticed a change of winds when I was at the docks. It was like winter was upon us." He commented.

Emma turned to face him with a frown. "That's weird." She whispered.

Seconds later, David arrived at the Station.

"Hook." He greeted with a quick nod.

"Hey." The pirate replied with one of his own.

"Has something happened while I was gone?" David asked.

"No, there's no new reports. It's almost strange to see that nothing is wrong in this town. Are we supposed to be worried?" Emma teased, earning from her father a small grin.

"Indeed." He replied.

"Have you heard from Regina?" David asked, his tone getting serious.

The blond woman shook her head negatively. "I should go talk to her." Emma suggested.

"Nothing good has ever came when that woman was pressured. Trust me, love. It's better if you give her some space." Hook commented.

Before David could say anything else, an explosion was heard, making everybody jump from their seats.

"Bloody hell!" Hook exclaimed.

Emma exchanged looks with her father and he picked the car keys on the table.

"I guess something happened after all." David murmured before running out of the office, followed by his daughter and the pirate.

                          --  |¥|  --

"Are you alright, Robin?" Marian asked as sat down next to him.

She noticed he was too quiet and knew him well enough to sense when he was tense.

"Yes." The outlaw answered without looking at her.

"How did you ended up in this land?" Marian questioned, curious.

"A year ago Regina and the others came back to Enchanted Forest. Another curse was casted and this time it brought me as well." He explained patiently.

"Well, I'm not surprised she casted another curse." Marian said in a disgusted tone.

"I know it's hard for you to believe, but Regina isn't a monster, Marian. She isn't the Evil Queen anymore." Robin replied and the woman could clearly notice the irritation in his voice.

"I don't understand why you defend her. Yesterday she locked me in a dungeon and if it wasn't for Emma I would be executed." Marian protested.

"For you it was yesterday, but for the rest of us years had passed. I'm not saying Regina hasn't made mistakes in her life, but the woman I know is doing her best to change." The outlaw said firmly.

"The woman you know?" Marian mimed his words in disbelief.

Robin took a deep breath and looked at her. She could see the conflict in his eyes.

"Look, it's best if we get ready. You're my wife." He said with a small smile. "And I couldn't be happier to know you're alright. Shall I show you the mysteries from this strange land?" He added playfully.

Marian smiled in return. "It would be my pleasure." She replied.

                          --  |¥|  --

Regina barely slept. She couldn't shake the image of Robin's happy expression when he saw Marian.

After a good amount of thinking, she couldn't blame him. She remembered when Daniel came back, how happy and surprised she had been.

The only difference was that she had to kill her loved one while Robin's was alive and healthy enjoying the company of people she loved.

Oh, how life sucked.

Regina stood near her kitchen's balcony, staring at the cup of coffee in her hands and wondering what to do next. She certainly didn't like Marian and she didn't care how selfish it looked like.

She tried to feel sympathy for the woman, to think about how Roland and Robin must be happy for having her around, but every attempt made her blood boil and a sickening feeling consume her.

This woman had taken her happiness away and Regina was working hard not to direct her thoughts into dark places.

She knew as well that as mayor, Regina must be strong. Frankly she didn't want to let people know about her weaknesses.

She wouldn't let people take her as a vulnerable person.

She would focus on Henry and her job only, doing her best to avoid a certain outlaw and savior. Regina finished her coffee and left her house, headed to the Mayor's Office.

Once there, she spent the following next forty minutes examining paperworks and analyzing taxes before she heard a huge explosion dangerously close.

"What the hell?" She yelled, standing up from the chair behind her desk.

Regina walked towards the window and gasped in surprise.

Was that a giant?


	2. Distraction

The first thing Mary Margaret saw after the explosion was a giant. She was used to Enchanted Forest's giants, but this one was totally different.

No, this one was made of ice and, as every good giant, was destroying things.

She spotted the dwarfs yelling like crazy and instantly ran to them, imagining they had a better idea of what was going on.

"Thank god I found you, sister!" Leroy yelled as soon as he saw her coming.

"Where did it came from?!" Mary Margaret yelled back as hid herself from the creature, who was now walking randomly and crushing building as they were houses of cards.

"I don't know! We were at Granny's and it just appeared from nowhere!" Happy explained as he reached Mary Margaret's side.

She looked around trying to find her husband. Mary Margaret knew he would be there with Emma; they were the sheriffs anyway, but that didn't stop her from being worried with their safety.

Gladly, she spotted them a few minutes later.

David, Emma and Hook were running, but stopped when they reached the next corner of the street.

The giant was just about ten meters from them.

In that moment, Mary Margaret wished they had stayed at the Station.

When the creature saw people around, it immediately attacked. The giant took a deep breath and let the breath go out of his mouth. The air leaving it turned into ice and would frozen Emma to death if it wasn't for David and Hook pushing her out of the way.

Emma turned around and tried to use magic to fight it. To be honest, she didn't know how to use it properly. Regina was trying to teach her, but given recent events Emma had declared her lessons to be over.

The giant seemed hurt with the blast of magic against his chest, but after a while he managed to recover.

The savior's attempt of solving the problem actually made the creature angrier and start running towards them with a murderous determination.

The trio exchanged worried looks and ran away, not knowing really what to do next.

"What the hell is going on in my town?" They heard Regina's voice. Frankly, Emma had never been happier to hear the mayor's imposing tone.

The giant stopped his acts and turned around to face Regina. After letting out an angry growl, it marched towards her direction.

Regina took several steps back and made a fireball. Emma widened her eyes. It wasn't a common fireball. It had approximately the size of a car and Regina kept it fluctuating on top of her head.

The giant seemed distressed by the flames and backed down a little, unsure if attacking the mayor would be the best thing to do.

Probably not.

Fortunately, Regina wasn't waiting for a written invitation. She groaned and directed her immense fireball towards the giant.

The creature had no time to react.

Regina's magic hit his chest and it melted, letting out a pained filled scream in the air.

                        -- |¥| --

The use of so much magic made the mayor go dizzy.

She had to take several steps back and sit on the street, resting her back at some random half destroyed car.

Regina stayed there taking deep breaths while Emma, Hook, David and Mary Margaret ran to her. The blond woman instantly kneeled and placed a hand on the mayor's shoulder.

"Are you alright?" Emma asked, frowning in worry. Regina looked up and shoved the blonde's hand away as stood up.

"I don't need your concern, Miss Swan." She bitted out. Emma stepped back and looked away, trying to calm herself.

"What the hell was that?" David questioned, looking around to see if there were any other threats.

"I don't know for sure." The mayor replied, swallowing hard when identified who was running towards them.

"Regina!" Robin exclaimed as passed trough the group that stood in front of the brunette, examining her body for eventual injuries.

Mary Margaret, noticing Regina's distress, looked at her husband and gave him a knowing look. Gladly, he quickly understood.

David called Emma and Hook to help him making sure no one had been hurt during the attack and Mary Margaret followed them, giving Robin and Regina an opportunity to talk alone.

The mayor watched the others walking away and took a step back as the outlaw looked up to meet her gaze. Regina was having trouble to compose herself giving the fact that her heart was pounding against her chest.

Eventually, she managed to murmur. "I'm fine."

Robin nodded and looked down. "Regina, can we talk?" He whispered, his words filled with frustation.

The mayor felt a like someone had punched her right in the gut. This wouldn't end well, she was certain.

Reluctantly, she agreed, knowing it had to be done rather sooner than later.

                           -- |¥| --

Robin was conflicted.

He was an honorable men and had to do what was right for his family.

The outlaw had came up with this decision during the night he spent without sleeping. He needed to do the right thing, it didn't meter how much it pained him to let Regina go.

Somehow, during the last year he developed real feelings for her and now was forced to barry them deep inside him.

"Please, let's make it quick, Robin. We both know how it will end." Regina pointed out trying to remain calm.

She was doing a terrible job at it.

"I want you to pay attention to what I have to say, milady." The outlaw muttered, taking a step towards her.

He knew that being this close wasn't the best idea, but he couldn't help it.

Regina's heart skipped a beat and she had to look down to stop herself from stepping closer as well.

"My feelings for you are real. What we had was real." He said softly and the mayor looked up in surprise, her eyes anxious, hoping that he would choose her after all.

"But Marian is my wife. I made a vow when I married her: until death turn us apart. And it did." Robin murmured, smiling sadly. "But then it didn't." He added, withdrawing the grin of his lips.

Regina closed her eyes, the small excitement and hope extinguishing as fast as it appeared. Her heart sank and she nodded slowly. "So you made your choice." She whispered throatily, looking away from him.

Robin closed his eyes and inbreathed deeply. He could see she was in pain and she was a fool to think he wasn't suffering as well. "I'm sorry. I wish things were different, I truly do." He murmured before pulling her close for a tight hug.

Regina thought she would lose it.

When Robin hugged her, she felt her walls breaking one by one and blinked several times to stop the tears from falling. She felt him kissing her forehead and the mayor noticed when the outlaw tightened his grip over her.

Not wanting to be near him or anyone anymore, Regina stepped back and stared at the floor.

Robin knew this was his lead to go and slowly turned around to leave.

Mary Margaret, who watched their conversation from far away, bitted her lower lip and shook her head in disapproval when Regina disappeared in purple smoke.

                           --  |¥|  --

"We need to find out why there was a giant in town." Emma commented when they all came back to the Sheriff Station.

"It's all really strange. The weather has changed drastically too." David agreed.

"So what? We go to Regina for help?" Hook suggested.

"No, she has a lot to deal with right now. Besides, she seemed surprised with the attack." Mary Margaret pointed out.

"Why my magic didn't work?" Emma suddenly questioned, making the others look at her.

"Maybe you need more practice?" David said, wrapping one of his arms around his daughter.

"Maybe." She whispered. "I think we should talk to Gold." The blond woman added.

"Rumplestiltiskin isn't the most trustful men in town, love." Hook murmured.

"Liking it or not, he's the only option we have. Let's go." David said firmly and they left, headed to Mr. Gold's shop.

                           --  |¥|  --

Rumple watched the attack from far away. The Dark One examined the situation and analyzed all the options.

Icicle giants don't just appear from nowhere, they are usually created by a very select group of people.

He had his suspicions about who was behind the attack, but the possibilities were so small that he discarded them immediately.

There was no way she was here. He made sure of that years ago.

However, the sudden change of weather and the giant attack indicated that something was wrong and he didn't know someone else but her with this kind of power.

Taking a deep breath, he turned around and entered in his shop, preparing himself for the imminent visit from Emma, who had no choice but to go to him seeking for answers since Regina was furious at her.

As he predicted, practically an hour later the blonde stormed into his store together with David, Hook and Mary Margaret.

"What do I owe the pleasure, Miss Swan?" Gold asked playfully, already knowing the answer.

"We were hoping you could explain what attacked the town hours ago." Emma said firmly.

Rumple gazed her with a small smirk on his lips. "I believe the attack was caused by a giant. One that for what I've seen was made o ice. But that you already knew." He muttered.

"Yes, we did. You see, we know each other for quite a long time, Crocodile. Why do I feel this attack has your hand all over it?" Hook questioned, taking several steps ahead and putting himself between Emma and Gold.

"I believe you're wrong, pirate. I can do many great things, but as you must know, my magic has no ice touch." Rumple bitted out and turned to face David. "I had nothing to do with the attack and I have no idea who is behind this. Why don't you ask Regina for help? Oh, that's right. The Robin Hood's incident..." He said evilly and quickly glanced at Emma. "You really should learn from your mother's mistakes." Gold added with a sickening smile on his lips.

"That's enough!" David exclaimed.

"Come on, let's get out of here." Mary Margaret suggested, doing her best to cheer Emma up.

                           --  |¥|  --

Regina waved a hand and reappeared in her vault.

She knew Robin would choose Marian, but experiencing him doing so was harder than she thought it would be.

A part of her knew he still had feelings for her. If they both liked each other why not stay together?

Even if it wasn't Robin's first choice, she could always make him think otherwise... No.

This wasn't her anymore.

This dark thoughts didn't match the person she had become, the person who made Henry proud. This part of her belonged to the past, as she kept saying to herself.

However, every time she insisted on telling herself that, a small part of her laughed skeptically.

Oh, but it's just so much easier to give in, isn't it?

Regina took a deep breath and laid on the bed she kept in her vault.

"I'm going mad." She murmured.

The mayor needed something to focus on, she knew her work wouldn't be enough distraction. Henry was always someone she could count on to help her, but being with her son meant she would have to deal with Emma, and let's face it, the savior was the last person Regina wanted to hang out with.

It was then that something clicked in her mind.

_The giant._

One of the things that caught her attention was that she had to be very specific to dismiss the creature. She knew common magic wouldn't be enough - that was an icicle giant.

Regina sat down on her bed as an old fire lightened up inside her. This type of creature was rare, only someone with ice touch could create it.

The problem was that she knew no one capable of doing such thing. Regina remembered her lessons with Rumple, he told her that people with ice touch were practically extinct.

No one knows the reason for it, but apparently at last one of them was in Storybrooke. One who was very angry and represented a threat to everyone in town, including Regina and her son.

The mayor smirked evilly and glanced at her old enchanted mirror. "I suppose it's time to visit an old fellow." Regina commented and stood up.

Her eyes were dancing, burning with excitement.

Finally, she had something to distract her from the unfortunate events of her life. The mayor could now direct all her angry and frustration to something she could deal with.

Regina let out a small laugh as made her way upstairs, headed to the vault's entrance. She needed information and knew exactly who could help her to get it.

                           --  |¥|  --

"Are you sure it's the best thing for you to talk to her?" David asked, worried.

"I'm not gonna hide from her, dad." Emma replied tiredly.

"We need to deal with this carefully. I know you feel responsible for what happened, but right now Regina might not be in her right mind." Mary Margaret commented.

"She won't hurt me! Besides, I can take care of myself, I don't fear her." The blond woman insisted.

"We know that, love. You shouldn't be afraid of her, but precaution is never too much when dealing with that woman." Hook said.

"I know how Regina can be when she feels betrayed and broken hearted. I believe she changed, she's no longer the Evil Queen. However, darkness is tricky. Especially when you're alone." Mary Margaret muttered.

"I know the risks and I'm still going. I'll call if I need anything." Emma said firmly and stood up to leave.

She had to talk to Regina.

                            --  |¥|  --

"So, what is that about?" Sidney whispered. He felt alive again, being that close from Regina was clearly refreshing.

"I need information about the attack. You're the only person that can get it for me." The mayor whispered, her gaze never leaving his.

Sidney nodded and took a step towards her. "I knew you hadn't forgotten about me, that one day you would need me around you again." He said.

His words were dripping excitement and Regina saw the desire in his eyes.

She felt sick.

"Right." She answered with a fake smile.

"I'm afraid I can't give your answers right away, your majesty. Here in this land I don't have any magic, I-"

"This can be solved." The mayor interrupted him and waved her hand.

Immediately, Sidney found himself locked in the mirror he lived in for so many years.

"No!" He screamed. "Please, take me out of here!!" He added desperately.

Regina shook her head and frowned at his distress. "Relax, is temporary!" She assured him.

Sidney closed his eyes, it looked like he had lost some internal battle. "Of course, my queen." He whispered sharply. Regina smiled victoriously.

"Now, tell me everything you know about the attack and who might be behind all of this." She commanded.

                           --  |¥|  --

Emma found the front door open but apparently no one was home.

Strange.

She rang the bell and saw a Henry's room lightening. After a few minutes, the boy opened the door and hugged his mother.

"I missed you." He said.

"I missed you as well, kid." Emma replied as kissed his cheek. "Look, have you seen Regina? I need to talk to her." She added carefully.

"It's about Robin Hood, isn't it?" Henry commented.

"Yes, how's she doing?" Emma asked, concerned.

"As well as the expected. I haven't seen her that much. She's avoiding me." He replied.

"Hey, Regina isn't avoiding you. She just need some time." The blonde said as caressed her son's hair. "When was the last time you saw her?" Emma questioned.

"Yesterday. She left for work earlier today, before I woke up for school. Why?" Henry muttered.

"She hasn't returned home after the giant's attack?" The savior asked with a frown.

"No, did something happen?" Henry asked in rushed words.

"I don't know, I might be wrong. Hang on." Emma said and picked her phone. She quickly called her father.

"Hey, dad. Regina hasn't been seen since the attack. I think mom has a point. Regina might not be in her right mind or have the best intentions right now." She said as took a deep breath.

They needed to know where the hell the mayor was.


	3. Search

It was already at night. Robin spent the rest of his day playing with Roland in the Merry Men's camp, but he couldn't shake the image of Regina's face when he ended their relationship.

Robin wanted to comfort her, but knew it was better to stay away. After all, he was one of the reasons she was in pain. It didn't help when Marian moved to sit next to him.

"Tuck said the food is ready." She said softly as caressed his deep blond hair.

The outlaw sighed and gave her a tight smile. "Let's go eat then." He whispered.

"Robin, what is it? You've been acting strange." Marian commented, looking away. "I saw you today with the Evil Queen. What was that about?" She asked in an annoyed tone, clearly trying to hold back her frustation - but failing horribly.

"She isn't evil." Robin protested. "Marian, listen to me." He whispered as took his wife's hand on his. "When you died... It was the worst moment of my life. I was devastated. I know that for you days ago we were the happiest couple, but for me years had passed. I mourned your death and with time, I moved on. It's difficult for me to go back to where we were, but I'm trying." He explained everything very carefully, not wanting to start a fight.

Marian widened her eyes in denial. "I understand you moved on and I can see you're trying. I love you for it, you're still the honorable men I married all these years ago. What I can't understand is that you have feelings for someone that wanted to kill me and murdered thousands of people! The queen is a monster!" She said with a shaky voice.

Robin inbreathed deeply and shook his head slightly in disapproval.

"You can't blame me for not trusting her. I don't want Roland near that woman." Marian spoke firmly.

As much as it frustrated Robin, he understood her concern and knew Marian was still confused with all this land and everything else.

"Let's just eat. It's late." He murmured, ignoring the anger he was feeling.

                        -- |¥| --

Regina was shocked. She had no idea Elsa had magic. To be honest, she didn't know the girl very well. They saw each other once at her wedding with Leopold and that was it.

She did remember being introduced to a youger version of the blond girl. Elsa was a princess from a far away land and Regina, as the new queen of Enchanted Forested, had the obligation to know about every royal associates.

Sidney told her about Elsa's blood line. Apparently the girl belonged to a rare lineage of people who carried ice touch and the mayor was actually looking forward to see her again.

Regina left her vault and noticed it was already dark. "Did I spend the entire day in here?" She whispered to herself as looked around.

There was no movements in the woods and she realized it was colder than before. It didn't bothered her though, she found it quite refreshing.

Regina decided to walk for a bit, not wanting to poof herself back to her house. She enjoyed being this free in the woods. Taking a deep breath, the mayor turned around and began her night walk, her steps leading her to the deepest parts of the now dark forest.

                         -- |¥| --

"Ok, then it's settled. I'll look for her in the south part of the town, David will patrol the streets and Emma will talk to everybody to know if they saw Regina somewhere." Mary Margaret commented as left the Sheriff Station.

"I wan't to help too!" Henry protested.

"You will, but we need you to stay with Neal tonight. Please, kid." Emma said softly as walked at her mother's side.

"Fine. Let me know when you find her." Henry murmured, clearly upset. The savior nodded and quickly kissed his forehead.

"Oh, Robin! You're here." David exclaimed as the outlaw walked towards them. He had his bow in hands and an upset expression.

"Any news of her?" Robin asked drily.

"No, we were hoping you could check in the woods." Mary Margaret said.

"That's alright. If anyone finds her please let me know." He said before turning around to leave.

"What happened to him? He's usually so nice." Emma commented with a frown.

"I don't know, he's pretty upset." David muttered, but he figured that if he was in the outlaw's position, David wouldn't be happy neither.

After Robin left, each one took different ways to try to find the mayor.

                        -- |¥| --

Regina stopped walking at the sound of footsteps near by. She tilted her head trying to have a better notion of where it was coming from.

The mayor created a fireball, ready to incinerate anyone who crossed her path.

Regina took two steps forward and hidden herself behind a tree when noticed someone walking about fifty meters from her.

She narrowed eyes suspiciously. There was a men there, but in the darkness of the night she couldn't tell who he was.

Still with the fireball on hands, she walked carefully into his direction. The mayor frowned in confusion when he suddentky stopped walking and kneeled down on the dirt.

Was he doing magic?

That uncertainty made her curious. Taking a risk, Regina took several steps in his direction until she was able to see a silver glow on his hands.

Oh, but that wasn't magic, at least no yet.

The men was carrying a metallic object that was almost sparking in the moonlight. Regina had to bite her lips to stop her from saying anything. She needed to know what he would do next.

The men thrusted the object in the ground and Regina hummed in response. "A locator spell." She whispered to herself.

"Regina?" The mayor jumped when heard an accented raspy voice behind her. She turned around to face Robin, letting out a frustrated sigh.

Regina quickly turned her head again to face the mysterious men but, of course, he was already gone. She let out a hiss in anger and glared at the outlaw.

"What the are you doing here?" The mayor asked, furiously.

"I could ask you the same question. You disappeared for an entire day, we were worried." Robin reprehended.

It was like they were in Enchanted Forest all over again, always arguing about safety and reckless attitudes.

"What are you talking about?" Regina asked in a confused tone, taking a step closer.

"David called me saying that Emma went to your place and you weren't there. Henry told them he hasn't seen you since yesterday." The outlaw explained, his voice softly rumbling.

The mayor looked away and he could see the guilt in her eyes for letting her son alone at home this whole time. "I was getting answers, that's all." She replied and walked directly to where she had came from earlier, not bothering to see if the outlaw had something else to say. Being this close made her feel things. Things that neither of them had the luxury to feel.

Robin glanced at her, worried. Regina was upset and obviously knew more than she was telling him. As much as the situation bothered him, he wouldn't let her walk alone in the woods at night.

After half an hour, they reached Regina's vault. The mayor glanced at Robin and noticed he was tense. His jaw was clenched and he was holding his bow with more strength than necessary. She debated with herself if talking to him was the best idea, they weren't supposed to be seeing each other that often anyway.

Losing the battle with herself, she whispered. "Are you alright?" Her voice came out softer than she wanted to admit.

The outlaw smirked and looked at her. "Are you?" He replied with a knowing expression.

Regina rolled her eyes and looked away, never ending her walk. "You should go back to the camp. Your wife and Roland must be worried." Regina commented, trying her best to hide the irritation in her voice.

Well, she failed. Robin sighed and scrubbed a hand over his face. "You're probably right, but I don't want to go back. When I left, Roland was already sleeping. I think I can use a break." He murmured.

Regina's heart skipped a beat and immediately she cursed herself for not being able to keep it together when he was around. "Troubles in paradise?" The mayor mocked.

Robin swallowed and looked away, his breath was hitching in his throat, which seemed to dry instantly. "Regina, I think we shouldn't-"

"Be talking about your relationship with Marian? I agree. So let's stop it, Robin. Go back to your wife!" The mayor bitted out as interrupted him. She could feel the anger rising inside her as her vision got blurred with tears.

"You're right. Goodbye, Regina." The outlaw managed to reply with a sultry voice. She was trying really hard not to cry, he knew that by the way her voice was shaky and cracked when she spoke. It broke his heart, so he left. When there was enough distance between them, Robin picked his cellphone and texted David.

' _I found her._ '

                        -- |¥| --

David finished his patrol seconds before Robin texted him. He had shared the outlaw's news with Emma, Hook and Mary Margaret. The group chose to meet in the middle of town, somewhere Regina was forced to pass trough if she wanted to go to her house. They knew she could poof herself home but Henry was there, he would let them know if she did.

"So Regina was just walking in the woods?" Emma asked, distrustful.

"That's what Robin said." David replied with a nod.

"Care to explain what the hell are you doing?" Regina's voice echoed in the empty street. They all turned around to face her.

"We were worried! There's a giant attack in town and you disappeared!" Mary Margaret reprehended.

"So what? I can take care of myself! I don't need you to put people searching for me!" The mayor yelled.

"Come on, Regina. I went to your house because I wanted to talk to you. We need to fix this, we're friends." Emma said carefully.

Regina stared at her for several seconds and then let out a loud laugh. "Fix this? How? Complimenting my outfits? Giving me a make over, branding my hair? Calling Robin Hood and hanging up?" Regina bitted out, taking several steps towards the blond woman. "No, Miss Swan! That's the kind of thing you can't just fix. It's complicated enough since his dead wife is back!" She added, her tone getting louder.

Emma didn't know what to say, she held the mayor's gaze for a while and looked down. Then, her mother tried to speak. "Regina, I know things with Robin aren't great right now, but I hope-"

"Oh, please. I'm done with your hope speeches." The mayor interrupted Mary Margaret and vanished in purple smoke.

After a few seconds of silence, the pirate cleaned his throat. "So... We can all agree something happened during that little walk she had with the thief." Hook commented and everybody looked at him with annoyed expressions.

                         -- |¥| --

Rumple cursed himself for being so reckless. He didn't notice Regina was following him until Robin shouted her name. The Dark One wasn't sure if she saw his face, but now she was suspecting something.

Why Regina was walking so deep in the woods at this hour anyway? She was up to something, he knew it. Regina had been his student after all.

Rumple inbreathed deeply and looked over his shop. He wasn't able to finish the locator spell, so he had no idea where Elsa was.

Yes, the Dark One was convinced the princess was behind all this. There was no other option.

"Rumple?" Belle's voice made he snap out pf his thoughts. He turned around to face her with the most innocent smile on his face.

"Hello, my dear." He said softly.

"Where have you been? Do you know what time is it?" The girl inquired, placing a hand on her waist.

"I'm sorry to go out like this, Belle. I was hoping I could figure out what caused the giant attack. I'm worried about our safety." He murmured. Rumple wasn't lying; it was more like telling half of the truth.

"We're fine, you don't have to worry." Belle replied with a smile before pulling him for a kiss. "Come, let's get some sleep." She whispered.


	4. Elsa

"Lunch at Granny's?" Henry asked as walked downstairs.

Regina had to swallow a groan at the idea of going back in that place. "Of course! I'll meet you there." She responded, giving him a fake smile.

"Great." The boy muttered and kissed his mom goodbye. "I'll be there after school!" Henry added before disappearing behind the front door.

Regina chuckled and moved herself to the kitchen; a coffee would be great right now. She couldn't stop thinking about the men she saw in the woods. The mayor had an idea of who he must be, there wasn't many people with magical abilities in town after all. However, Regina wasn't sure about his identity. So, before she went to confront Rumple, the mayor needed to be sure.

Her former teacher wasn't the kind of person who usually make mistakes, therefore she had to be careful. Regina was ready to take a sip of her coffee when her cellphone rang. She glanced at it an saw Mary Margaret's image. Rolling her eyes, the mayor answered. "What?" She asked sharply.

"Regina, we need you here. Something happened." The former princess said desperately.

                         -- |¥| --

David had no idea about what was happening. First an icicle giant attack and now people were being frozen? In the moment he arrived the Sherif Station dozens of people showed up to tell him about families falling ill, like they had caught a severe flu or something. To his fortune, nothing truly bad had happened yet. Most of the people were still at the hospital in recovery, but David had to do something about it. He was responsible for the safety of Storybrooke's citizens and couldn't let them die as popsicles.

The sheriff called some people and arranged a meeting at Granny's. Until now, just a few had arrived: him, Mary Margaret, Granny, Ruby, Robin Hood and some of his man, Henry, Leroy and the rest of the dwarfs, Gepetto and Archie.

"I'm going to make some hot cocoa, even with the heater on it's really cold in here." Granny said and Ruby stood up, offering help.

David and Mary Margaret were sitting on a table located in the middle of the establishment while the rest of the people sat around on chairs. Granny had rearranged the tables, so they could make a big circle where everyone could have a proper conversation, facing each other.

Rumple and Belle were the next to arrive. The place got silent as the few murmurs ceased when Gold arrived, but he couldn't care less. The Dark One sat down on a chair, doing his best to stay away from the others. Belle greeted everyone and went to sit next to him.

"Is Emma coming?" Mary Margaret asked, frowning in worry.

"She's on her way with Hook." David responded and caressed her arms, earning from his wife a smile before she leaned forward to kiss him.

                          -- |¥| --

Robin didn't know how to feel. Everything happened so fast and his mind was like a mess of webs. His limbs felt heavy at his sides and all he could do was stare at the floor. In one minute he and Marian were laughing watching Roland play with John and then she was uncontious in a blink of an eye. He and his men went immediately to the hospital and then to Granny's, following Charming's instructions. After a long time, he managed to make Roland sleep and Tuck volunteered to stay with the boy upstairs after Granny offered a room.

At the sound of Granny's doorbell ringing, Robin looked up yo see who had arrived this time. The outlaw swallowed hard when Regina entered in the establishment. She was beautiful as always, her dark clothes a contrast to her skin. What bothered him was that she held the most emotionless expression ever. He saw her quickly talking to the Charmings and frowned when the mayor stared at the Dark One. Robin didn't know why, but she looked furious. He saw Rumple meeting her gaze unflinchingly. It was like watching two people trying to intimidate each other just with looks, but then he realized that was exactly the point.

After some time, she finally looked at him. Robin missed being around her; missed her sarcastic comments and sassy attitude. He remembered with a smirk all the times they argued during the missed year in Enchanted Forest. As much as the queen irritated him, he couldn't say she was boring nor stay away for much time. There was always something about the feared queen that urged him to be around and make care for her - even if it meant arguing all the time and, eventually, almost getting killed for testing her patience. Snapping at his thoughts, the outlaw tensed when saw her slowly coming towards where he was sitting. Wasn't she still mad at him?

"Hi." Regina said softly. As she studied the blond men, she could see the dark circled under his eyes and how tired he really was.

"Milady." He greeted her with a nod.

"I heard what happened, I'm so sorry." The mayor commented, letting out a tired sigh as took a seat next to him.

"I guess my luck isn't good these days." Robin responded, trying to keep it playfully but Regina knew better. She knew he was suffering. When he looked at her, she saw the frustration behind his blue eyes. Ot wasn't something she was used to see, he had always been the one making sure she was alright. Regina hated to see him like that, even if Robin was with someone else. The mayor glared at him, lifting eyebrows in a not so convinced look. She conjured two glasses with a dose of whisky in each one.  
Robin couldn't help but let out a chuckle at the gesture. She stood up, handed it over to him and carefully hit her glass with his, making a quick toast.

"I think alcohol will be better for you than Granny's hot cocoa." She murmured in a low tone and turned around to leave.

Even staring at her back, Robin could see when she drank all the alcoholic liquid with a single sip - things hadn't been easy for her as well. Glancing at his glass, the thief did the same.

                          -- |¥| --

Mary Margaret studied Regina and Robin's conversation from where she was sitting. It was sad, really. Everybody knew how they felt about each other but seeing them like this actually made her uptight. She cared about Regina and wanted her to be happy. Mary Margaret wanted them to be together, but she knew it was complicated.

Sensing his wife's annoyance, David quickly kissed her cheek. "You should really stop staring." He whispered in her ear.

Mary Margaret sighed and looked at her husband. "They love each other, David. It bothers me they can't be together." She commented.

"You know, Regina would have killed Marian if it wasn't for Emma." David pointed out.

"I know, but Marian is alive. Regina didn't kill her." The brunette protested. Both turned their head to face the door when Emma arrived with Hook.

"Finally!" Leroy exclaimed.

"Sorry, there was another accident. We had to take Tinkerbell to the hospital." Emma explained as sat down.

"What?" Regina asked instantly in a much higher tone than she intended.

"She's alright, love. No need to worry." Hook assured.

"Alright, we need to figure this out. What is going on with our town?" David questioned, raising his voice.

"First the weather changes, then an icicle giant attacks us. Now we're suppose to be afraid of sickness too?" Leroy yelled.

"Hey! Calm down." Mary Margaret reprehended.

"I might know what's happening." Regina murmured and all the eyes turned to her. The mayor quickly glanced at Rumple and saw him staring at her with an irritated expression. "I believe someone arrived in town. Her name is Elsa." She added.

"How long do you know about this?" David questioned angrily.

"I found out yesterday and I'm not a hundred percent sure." The mayor protested.

"Arguing isn't going to help us. What do you know about her, Regina?" Emma asked.

"Honestly? Not much. Although, I think Rumple can help you with that." The mayor replied and smirked evilly at the Dark One.

"You knew about this?" Belle asked disappointedly.

"I had an idea, not certainty." Rumple replied.

"Tell us what you know." Mary Margaret said firmly.

Rumple took a deep breath and clenched his jaw. "I met Elsa years ago. Back in time she was just the princess of Arendelle. She came to me for help and I helped her. End of story." He bitted out.

Regina shook her head and barked out a humourless laugh. "Do you really believe I'll fall for that? You didn't just help her. Tell me, Rumple what was the price she paid?" She questioned, her voice low and imposing.

The Dark One gave her a murderous look. "Careful, dearie. You might be surprised with who else is involved." He warned.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Robin asked, his tone getting angrier.

"Well, thief. It means there's someone in town causing problems." Rumple said with a sickening smile.

"And what we're supposed to do with the people ill, oh incredible Dark One?" Robin mocked, his anger only growing. Regina bitted her lips nervously; provoking Rumple was never a good idea.

"I'm not sure if you are actually as bold as people say or just plain stupid." The Dark One replied dryly.

"At least he isn't failing at doing a simple locator spell in the woods. Differently from you, he knows how to hide properly." Regina teased in response. Robin glanced at her and smirked. There was the sassy queen he remembered.

"Enough of that you two, Robin has a point." Mary Margaret commented.

"I can try to cure them with magic. Maybe the fairies can help." Emma suggested.

"It won't work." Rumple said, shacking his head negatively.

"Why not?" David asked, frowning.

"This kind of magic is different. That's why your magic didn't work when you tried to defeat the giant, Miss Swan." The Dark One explained.

"But Regina succeeded." Hook pointed out. "What do you mean by different?" He added.

"It's extremely rare to find people with ice touch. They are practically extinct. Before you ask, I don't know why. Elsa is the last one in the blood line. Each magic is unique but this one is very specific. I managed to hurt the giant because I used fire, obviously. You didn't." Regina explained.

"We don't have the ice touch, so we can't heal people damaged by it. We can just fight it, with fire." Rumple added.

"So I suggest we find this woman. We can't keep living like this." David said, commanding.

"Let's find her and deal with this problem once for all." Granny exclaimed and quickly everybody nodded in agreement.

"So it's settled then. We'll find her." Mary Margaret commented.

                        -- |¥| --

The entire town was in alert mode. Emma, Regina and Rumple casted protections spells at every home in town and the Merry Men were settled in Granny's hotel. The woods were too cold, staying there was a risk. A great part of it was already covered by snow, but David and Emma tried their best not to create panic with the news. They were searching for hours now, but there was no sight of Elsa.

Some of the citizens were in the hospital and most of the other part was visiting them. Emma passed by with Hook to check on Tinkerbell.

"How are you doing?" The savior asked.

"I'm fine, it's just a flu." The fairy replied with a tight smile. "Could you ask for more blankets, please? It's really cold in here." Tinkerbell added.

Hook and Emma exchanged worried looks. That room wasn't cold. The air conditioner had been replaced by a heater and to be honest the pirate was feeling quite hot.  
"Sure, I'll be back in a minute." Emma said and quickly turned around to leave.

The pirate glanced at the fairy an lifted eyebrows with a reprehending glare. Tinkerbell rolled her eyes in response. "What do you want me to say? That it feels like I'm freezing to death?" She snapped.

Before Hook could respond, someone knocked at the door and entered. Regina glanced at Hook surprised. "What are you doing here?" She asked.

"The same as you are I'm afraid." He murmured in return.

Regina sighed and turned to face Tinkerbell. "Hey." She murmured.

"Hello, Regina. I wasn't expecting seeing you here." The fairy replied with a smile of her own, examining the dark haired woman.

"I wanted to see how you're doing. Believe it or not, I don't like to see you suffering." The mayor teased, smirking.

"I'm honored." Tinkerbell responded, letting out a giggle.

"Here's the blanket." Emma said as entered in the room. She looked at the brunette and greeted her with a warm smile. "Hey!" She exaimed.

"Miss Swan." Regina replied with a nod, without looking at her.

"Here, Tink." The savior muttered as handed over the blankets, quickly glancing at the mayor nervously.

"Thank you." The fairy murmured as sat in bed to cover her up.

"You do realize you have like five blankets on top of you and it's actually hot in here, don't you?" Regina commented sarcastically.

"You do realize I'm the one turning into a popsicle, don't you?" Tinkerbell replied with the same mockery lilt.

Regina chucked and inbreathed deeply, turning her head to face the wall. She waved her hand and a fireplace appeared. The mayor walked towards as made a fireball, moving it to the fire until it lightened up the fireplace. "That should help." Regina said, glancing at Tinkerbell.

"It does, thank you." The fairy said with a bright smile on her lips.

"I have to go. If you need anything, just call me." The mayor added with a smile of her own.

"I will." Tink whispered and quickly winked at the mayor.

After Regina left, Hook looked at the fairy with a puzzled expression. "I didn't know you and the queen had such a fine relationship." He muttered.

"It's a long story." Tink responded as breathed out, glancing quickly at the fireplace.

                         -- |¥| --

Regina walked out of Tinkerbell's room and picked her phone. She saw some missed calls from Mary Margaret and was about to call her back when something - or rather someone - stopped her. The mayor spotted Robin near the coffee machine, resting his head at the wall while his cup was filled. Regina was sure that wasn't the first cup he had drank that day. When he moved a little, she was able to see Roland as well. Oh, how she missed that little boy.

She couldn't help but smile sadly when Roland started playing with an abandoned coin he found on the ground. He, as well as Henry, had a hell of imagination.

Regina didn't know how long she kept looking but eventually, Roland spotted her as well. "Gina!" He exclaimed, letting his coin on the flor and running to her.

The mayor was a little surprised for being caught, she wasn't expecting to be seen at all. Maybe she shouldn't be so surprised since the boy's father was a well renamed thief, who was know for his tracking and stealth skills. However, Regina didn't hold back a small smiled as knelled down to meet Roland halfway for a tight hug. "Hi, sweetheart." She whispered.

"I missed you, Gina! I keep saying to papa let me see you, but Mama doesn't want me to. I don't know why." The little boy responded, whispering on her ear as he was telling a secret.

The mayor clenched her jaw and smiled tightly, suppressing the growing anger rising inside her. She would never hurt Roland. The bare thought of him in pain made her stomach ache. "I missed you too." She said, glad that Roland was too young to notice the irritation in her tone.

"I believe he can't take his hand off you, milady." Regina looked up at the sound of Robin's raspy voice.

The mayor was ready to shoot back a smart comeback but when she met his gaze, she was too overwhelmed by it. He was looking at them with such affection and intensity that she had to look back at Roland to focus. "He's a very special boy." She responded casually, winking at Roland, who responded with a soft giggle. Regina couldn't help but let out a small laugh as well. "I should go." The mayor murmured and stood up. "See you around, sweetheart." She added to Roland and nervously glanced at the outlaw. Regina didn't say anything, just nodded and walked away.

A few seconds later, she was surprised to feel a hand on hers stoping her from going away. She closed her eyes and turned around, already knowing who was holding her. The mayor was ready to shove Robin off and tell him to walk away, but again, the his intense gaze stopped her. "How's Tinkerbell?" He asked, worry creasing his brow.

"As fine as the expected." Regina reply with a firm, slightly harsh tone. Robin nodded and let go of her hand as he had been burnt.

Not knowing what to do next, the mayor simply tuned around and left. She was so sick of this small talk and quick conversations. Regina couldn't keep seeing him this way. If she does, they will end up fighting or losing it completely and kissing each other instead. To be fair, she didn't know what would be worst. They couldn't be together anyway, Marian was still alive.

                         -- |¥| --

Gold was walking with Belle down the road. They didn't talk much after the meeting at Granny's, the girl was still pissed at him for not telling her the truth. Again.

Eventually, they crossed the street and chose to take a shortcut trough the park. To his surprise, Rumple spotted a woman sitting carelessly on a bench. He immediately took Belle's hand and stopped walking, groaning slightly.

"What is it?" The girl asked, worried.

"Elsa." He whispered as the mysterious woman stood up and walked towards them.

When she was just meters away from the Dark One, she spoke. "Hello, Rumple. Did you miss me?" Elsa's smile was as warm as an iceberg.

Gold quickly squeezed Belle's hand and stepped forward. "What are you doing here? What do you want?" Rumple questioned, his expression emotionless.

"What do I want? Talk to my teacher, of course." Elsa murmured, smirking evilly


End file.
